


Birth

by Elektra Pendragon (elekdragon)



Category: Lord of the Rings (2001 2002 2003)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-03-02
Updated: 2002-03-02
Packaged: 2017-10-15 05:13:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/157388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elekdragon/pseuds/Elektra%20Pendragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The new race comes into being.  A re-telling and expansion of the Uruk Birth scene of the movie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Birth

"We feel the birthing is upon us, my lord. They appear to have all survived this far; they grow strong and quickly. The clutch stirs--" The Orc's words cut off with a strangled noise. He stiffened, his eyes darting side to side as his long ears twitched. Saruman moved to speak, but the other two clutch guardians were looking to their fellow with expectation. He counseled his words and waited for an explanation.

"He comes!" he finally whispered, a twisted smile on his face. Vaulting over an underling, the Orc slid through the warm, wet hatchery mud that covered over fifty birthing sacks. Some moved and shifted under his quick, light feet, while others still slumbered like great brown hills. The others Orcs, crowding Saruman towards the imminent birth of the first of his creations. As they approached, they too could hear the faint sounds of life rising from the mud.

The Orc fell to his knees and frantically thrust his hands into the thick mud that covered the sack protectively. As he cleared it away, the transparent membrane appeared through the muck. It looked dark and lifeless, like the surface of a puddle, wet and glistening. Then the membrane stretched and bulged, and a face pressed against it. The new species was ready to be born.

Before the guardian could move away, the membrane burst. Quicker than one could blink a giant of a figure unfurled from the ground, coming to stand much taller than either an Orc or a Goblin. In one hand, it held the guardian by the throat.

The other guardians rushed forward to stop the newborn and save their fellow, but Saruman held them back with his outstretched arms, indicating that it was his wish to see what the newborn would do. The guardians couldn't deny him; they were servants of Sauron, bonded to serving under Saruman until the One Ring was found.

With a sickening crack, the clutch guardian's neck finally broke, and he fell to the ground in the messy remains of the birthing sack. The newborn breathed deeply, growling haltingly and softly in the way of one just learning a new noise. He appeared not to have noticed what he'd just done. He moved his arms and body dreamily, familiarizing himself with the workings of this strange form, moving with an innate sense of self.

"My Uruk-hai..." Saruman sighed, his eyes feasting on the naked newborn. He appeared almost elven in design, only his dark skin and immense musculature were more than the pale, ethereal creatures could ever hope for. His face was more animal-like--Goblin-yellow eyes, teeth sharp as a wolf's fangs. His fingers ended in Orchish clawed nails, already long and deadly. Every inch of him appeared designed for battle.

"You shall be invincible," Saruman pronounced, his voice ringing loudly with his pride in his creations. "My fighting Uruk-hai."

The creature tilted his head at Saruman's voice, turning narrowed yellow eyes towards the Orc-flanked wizard hovering above the brown slop that made up the ground. He blinked twice, slowly learning the focusing of his eyes. The gaze was hazy, not quite seeing the beings before him. The Uruk focused; there was a sense of power behind those eyes, a knowledge and intelligence uncanny in such a freshly born creature. The growling changed to a low purr as the newborn moved his jaw. "Uruk-hai," he repeated, tasting the word. The way he said it gave the impression that he knew just what it meant. He understood Saruman's words. Not even an hour old, and he had a grasp of language.

The clutch guardians whispered among themselves, the entire band coming together to witness this unprecedented race. They spoke in their native tongue, sharing their experience-educated thoughts. This was not natural, even for an Orc birth. This intelligence, this strength. This creature was something else, something beyond anything the guardians had dealt with before. It was frightening, but exciting as well. Kin but not kin; this Uruk came from Orc blood, this magnificent creature was one of their own.

The newborn looked around, sniffing the air as he eyed the Orcs coming to surround him. "Uruk-hai..." he sighed, the word coming from deep in his chest. He turned his face away from the Orcs, dismissing them. He scanned the ground around him, looking towards the birthing sacks around him that slumbered deeply. Nostrils flaring, the Uruk scented the air, turning this way and that, as though searching for something.

And apparently finding it. With powerful leaping bounds, the newborn slipped over the viscous surface to another sack not far away. Several of the clutch guardians followed, eager to assist in the new birth, even after the last guardian had been killed. The Uruk squatted beside the muddy lump, burying his fingers into it. An Orc stepped close with the thought to help the newborn, but the Uruk stopped him with a look, teeth and claws bared and ready for a fight. The guardians who had gathered close backed off before the greater strength of the newborn. Once he was sure they would not come close, he buried his fingers back into the mud.

His fingers shredded the membrane easily, and with a roar, he pulled another Uruk out of the sack. The other creature straightened, arms slashing out without thought. The first born held him down, hands clasping his arms tight to his body as the newly born Uruk struggled and fought, meaningless growls and moans escaping his mouth. Then he stilled completely, his arms relaxing in the powerful hold of his brother. He stared down at the hands that held him, then titled his head to the side to look at the firstborn's face, wary and curious. To the onlookers, it was as though the Uruk looked in a mirror.

The first leaned forward, his face very close to the neck of his birthmate. The Uruk inhaled deeply, then purred in his throat with pleasure. The second sniffed too, repeating the noise as he pushed his face into the other's neck. After a long moment, they turned their faces, pressing their foreheads together as they growled softly, communicating in a feral way only they could understand. "Uruk-hai," the first mumbled amongst the animal noises, and his birthmate nodded his head. The second made a crooning noise as he shifted, tenderly licking off a little of the fluid that clung to his brother's cheek.

The Orcs didn't hear the noise, but something alerted the new Race that their number was about to be increased. In unison, the two Uruk-hai spun to the left, charging into the muck. Orcs flew out of the way lest they be overrun or slashed by the claws brandished like weapons. The two Uruk-hai crouched down to pull the next member of their unique race out of the birthing sack.

It was apparent to Saruman that the Orcs would not be allowed to come near the Uruk-hai as they were being born. Perhaps the Uruk-hai had an innate knowledge of their own distinctiveness, something that told them they were special, better than the dark creatures around them. Saruman watched, well out of the way, as the Orcs flitted about the outskirts, unsure of what to do now that the Uruk-hai were taking over the business of birthing. He signaled for the nearest to approach. "Get them cleaned up," he commanded with a wobble of his hand. He eyed the now three Uruk-hai huddled close, sniffing and licking and growling to each other. "And send the elder to my room."


End file.
